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Who held the earth in fee；
For us were flung the portals
Of fame and victory。
The days were bright and breezy；
And gay our banners flew；
And every peak was easy
To scale at twenty…two。
And thus we spent our gay time
As having much to spend；
Swift； swift； that pretty playtime
Flew by and had its end。
And lo！ without a warning
I woke； as others do；
One fine mid…winter morning；
A man of forty…two。
And now I see how vainly
Is youth with ardor fired；
How fondly； how insanely
I formerly aspired。
A boy may still detest age；
But as for me I know；
A man has reached his best age
At forty…two or so。
For youth it is the season
Of restlessness and strife；
Of passion and unreason；
And ignorance of life。
Since； though his cheeks have roses；
No boy can understand
That everything he knows is
A graft at second hand。
But we have toiled and wandered
With weary feet and numb；
Have doubted； sifted； pondered； …
How else should knowledge come？
Have seen too late for heeding；
Our hopes go out in tears；
Lost in the dim receding；
Irrevocable years。
Yet； though with busy fingers
No more we wreathe the flowers；
An airy perfume lingers；
A brightness still is ours。
And though no rose our cheeks have；
The sky still shines as blue；
And still the distant peaks have
The glow of twenty…two。
Rudolph Chambers Lehmann ＇1856…1929＇
TO CRITICS
When I was seventeen I heard
From each censorious tongue；
〃I'd not do that if I were you；
You see you're rather young。〃
Now that I number forty years；
I'm quite as often told
Of this or that I shouldn't do
Because I'm quite too old。
O carping world！ If there's an age
Where youth and manhood keep
An equal poise； alas！ I must
Have passed it in my sleep。
Walter Learned ＇1847…1915＇
THE RAINBOW
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky：
So was it when my life began；
So is it now I am a man；
So be it when I shall grow old；
Or let me die！
The Child is father of the Man；
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety。
William Wordsworth ＇1770…1850＇
LEAVETAKING
Pass； thou wild light；
Wild light on peaks that so
Grieve to let go
The day。
Lovely thy tarrying； lovely too is night：
Pass thou away。
Pass； thou wild heart；
Wild heart of youth that still
Hast half a will
To stay。
I grow too old a comrade； let us part：
Pass thou away。
William Watson ＇1858…1935＇
EQUINOCTIAL
The sun of life has crossed the line；
The summer…shine of lengthened light
Faded and failed； till； where I stand；
'Tis equal day and equal night。
One after one； as dwindling hours；
Youth's glowing hopes have dropped away；
And soon may barely leave the gleam
That coldly scores a winter's day。
I am not young； I am not old；
The flush of morn； the sunset calm；
Paling and deepening； each to each；
Meet midway with a solemn charm。
One side I see the summer fields；
Not yet disrobed of all their green；
While westerly； along the hills；
Flame the first tints of frosty sheen。
Ah； middle…point； where cloud and storm
Make battle…ground of this my life！
Where； even…matched； the night and day
Wage round me their September strife！
I bow me to the threatening gale：
I know when that is overpast；
Among the peaceful harvest days；
An Indian Summer comes at last！
Adeline D。 T。 Whitney ＇1824…1906＇
〃BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF YEARS〃
From 〃Atalanta in Calydon〃
Before the beginning of years；
There came to the making of man
Time； with a gift of tears；
Grief； with a glass that ran；
Pleasure； with pain for leaven；
Summer； with flowers that fell；
Remembrance； fallen from heaven；
And madness； risen from hell；
Strength； without hands to smite；
Love； that endures for a breath；
Night； the shadow of light；
And life； the shadow of death。
And the high gods took in hand
Fire； and the falling of tears；
And a measure of sliding sand
From under the feet of the years；
And froth and drift of the sea；
And dust of the laboring earth；
And bodies of things to be
In the houses of death and of birth；
And wrought with weeping and laughter；
And fashioned with loathing and love；
With life before and after；
And death beneath and above；
For a day and a night and a morrow；
That his strength might endure for a span；
With travail and heavy sorrow；
The holy Spirit of man。
From the winds of the north and the south
They gathered as unto strife；
They breathed upon his mouth；
They filled his body with life；
Eyesight and speech they wrought
For the veils of the soul therein；
A time for labor and thought；
A time to serve and to sin；
They gave him light in his ways；
And love； and a space for delight；
And beauty and length of days；
And night； and sleep in the night。
His speech is a burning fire；
With his lips he travaileth；
In his heart is a blind desire；
In his eyes foreknowledge of death；
He weaves； and is clothed with derision
Sows； and he shall not reap；
His life is a watch or a vision
Between a sleep and a sleep。
Algernon Charles Swinburne ＇1837…1909＇
MAN
Weighing the steadfastness and state
Of some mean things which here below reside；
Where birds； like watchful clocks； the noiseless date
And intercourse of times divide。
Where bees at night get home and hive； and flowers；
Early as well as late；
Rise with the sun； and set in the same bowers；
I would； said I； my God would give
The staidness of these things to man！ for these
To His divine appointments ever cleave；
And no new business breaks their peace；
The birds nor sow nor reap； yet sup and dine；
The flowers without clothes live；
Yet Solomon was never dressed so fine。
Man hath still either toys； or care；
He hath no root； nor to one place is tied；
But ever restless and irregular
About this earth doth run and ride；
He knows he hath a home； but scarce knows where；
He says it is so far；
That he hath quite forgot how to go there。
He knocks at all doors； strays and roams；
Nay； hath not so much wit as some stones have；
Which in the darkest nights point to their homes
By some hid sense their Maker gave；
Man is the shuttle； to whose winding quest
And passage through these looms
God ordered motion； but ordained no rest。
Henry Vaughan ＇1622…1695＇
THE PULLEY
When God at first made Man；
Having a glass of blessings standing by …
Let us （said He） pour on him all we can；
Let the world's riches； which dispersed lie；
Contract into a span。
So strength first made a way；
Then beauty flowed； then wisdom； honor； pleasure：
When almost all was out； God made a stay；
Perceiving that； alone of all His treasure；
Rest in the bottom lay。
For if I should （said He）
Bestow this jewel also on My creatur